Various sample analyzers have been developed, such as apparatuses for measuring the size of cell particles in a sample such as urine, blood and the like, and analyzing the distribution of such particles.
Such sample analyzers are connected to an external computer via a network so as to be capable of data communication. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-308737, for example, discloses an automatic analyzer capable of transmitting, to a specified terminal (personal computer), information relating to the analysis results and status of each analyzer using electronic mail.
However, the sample analyzer is at increased risk of infection by a computer virus due to the data communication via the network. Although reliability can not be guaranteed for the analysis results of a sample analyzer operating with software infected by a computer virus, conventional sample analyzers produce analysis results without distinguishing between the analysis results obtained prior to the infection and the analysis results obtained after the infection by a computer virus. There is concern, therefore, that despite the low reliability of the obtained analysis results, the operator of the sample analyzer may report the analysis results to the physician and patient without recognizing the fact of the low reliability of the obtained results.